University vs school of life: Degrees no guarantee

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I am one of the lucky ones. I gained full-time employment before the end of my three year Sport and Leisure degree. Significant considering most people I know who completed the same degree either went on to post-graduate study, a change of degree, or accepted a job with little relevance to the sport industry they wanted to crack in to.

Completing a degree does not guarantee employment. It may get your foot in the door because it shows that you are able to commit yourself to something and see it through. What employers really want, is experience. You see that word in almost every job advert, anywhere. Having experience made all the difference in me being able to secure a job in the field I wanted, instead of having to continue on being employed in retail.

How did I get my experience? I volunteered. I gave up my time for free (a thought that a lot of people find strange). This allowed me to meet people who could offer me greater opportunities than just being the person who helped with registration or pack-up at an event. I can say with 100 per cent certainty that if I had not volunteered for two and a half years, I would not have been offered the current job I have, and have had for over a year.